an AWESOMETALKS program

Two significant events occurred on the dates of April 14 & 15. The first occurred in 1865 when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. The second occurred 47 years later in 1912 when the RMS Titanic struck and iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S ASSASSINATION: 146 years ago today

President Abraham Lincoln attended the play “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre on the night of Friday (Good Friday) April 14, 1865. The war had been over for less than a week and the President truly looked forward to enjoying an evening out. At about 10:15 pm, as the play was underway, John Wilkes Booth slipped into the Presidential box and shot the President.

Mortally wounded, Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen home where he lived for another few hours. At 7:22 a.m. on Saturday morning, April 15 he succumbed to his injury and died.

SINKING OF THE RMS TITANIC: 99 years ago today

The RMS Titanic, traveling on its maiden voyage from Europe to the United States, struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m on Sunday, April 14, 1912 and began taking on water. Soon the Captain and crew realized that there was no hope in saving the ship and she would eventually founder. At 2:20 a.m. on Monday, April 15, the ship sank. There were not enough life boats on board to save everyone and 1517 people died in the disaster.

Since I was a boy, the dates of April 14 and 15 have stayed with me due to these two tragic events and I make special note of them each year their anniversaries arrive.

Hey Pat: Yes, it seems like this anniversary has us speaking to each other every year. For those who don’t know Pat, his grandfather lost his life in the Titanic disaster. Pat, let’s raise a glass to your grandfather and to a fallen President. Cheers.
All the best my friend.
Barry

Barry,Thanks for the touching reply to my grandfathers demise on the titanic living just up the road in Bangor,a few hundred miles from cobh where my grandfather was born and 15 miles from where the titanic was biult is somewhet poignant.Pat

Barry,Thanks for the bit about Titanic,greetings from Bangor Co Down and today is the anniversary of the 20th year,of the Shannon Ulster Titanic society,named after my grandfather who died on the Titanic,name on Titanic Lionel Leonard,although born in Queenstown,now name Cobh,he became an American Citizen and was the Quartermaster of the Philadelphia of the American Line.Am going to a dinner in Belfast which is a dinner with friends,which by chance falls on the 15th of April,I will have a private thought about the death of my Grandfather.Pat